User blog:SandwaveK/Analyzing screenshots from an Environment Artist
Recently I've found some pictures posted by Rob Steptoe, environment artist on TimeSplitters 1 and 2 who has left Free Radical Design in September 2001 and came back in July 2005. I quickly realized that these pictures are a little special, so let's have a look and see what we can learn from these. Chinese 56b04416168179.56039b5a216f2.jpg 25dc3f16168177.56039b77e879c.jpg So first we have these 2 pictures of Chinese. The first thing you will notice, is the motif on the glasses (the big ones) that isn't there in the retail version. These glasses are also supposed to be split in 2 parts, the lower part being smaller. Another notable difference is the presence of a yellow part hanging under the lanterns. In the retail version, it's possible to shoot the lanterns and make them swing as shown in this video so we can imagine the yellow part was removed for this feature. Note: It was brought back in TimeSplitters: Future Perfect. And lastly, there are no posters on the walls. hqdefault.jpg|Picture for reference It is clear these are screenshots of an early version of the map, but how early is it really? To answer this question, I've been helped by a zip file from the Eidos FTP site containing screenshots of the game and even though it says it was last modified in October 2000, looking at the details of the screenshots within the file reveals that they have been created the 1st June for the first half and the 17th May for the other. 448093-timesplitters-screenshot.jpg This is the only screenshot taken on Chinese and it's from the 1st June. As you can see there are posters on the wall just like in the retail version, which means that the screenshots from Rob Steptoe have been taken from a build prior to June 2000. Siberia eca56416168181.56039cb0a5bd8.jpg 02c37916168183.56039cb133389.jpg Now it's time for the biggest part of this post with these 2 pictures of Siberia. The most notable difference here is obviously the absence of windows at the top of the dam, used by snipers in the retail version. And not only there's no windows, but the sniper spots are also condemned by a wall. This is the first time ever we see that and if you've played or seen the September 2001 demo build of TimeSplitters 2, you can already tell these screenshots have been taken from an earlier build. As for the elevator, its roof is different and there's no buttons at all. Here's a video in which you can see how this part of the map in the September 2001 demo was already much more advanced than it is here. Note: There's a table inside the room in the first screenshot but it's also present in the September 2001 build. So far we know it is a very early build but obviously I wouldn't be making this blog post if it wasn't possible to dig a bit more into it. tsp2p2001.jpg tsp2p2002.jpg Here are 2 of the screenshots that were revealed in July 2001. The windows are here already so we can confirm the screenshots from Rob Steptoe are from a build prior to this date but we can go farther than that. When TimeSplitters 2 was announced in May 2001, it came with a few screenshots including this one: Siberiadam.jpg In this screenshot we can notice the presence of a fighter jet once again, as well as a different satellite dish (which cannot rotate contrary to the retail version or demo builds) but our attention will be focused on the wooden plank leaning against the building. Its textures are different, but a part from that it's just like in the other builds of the game. Now if you look back at the first picture of Siberia from Rob Steptoe, it really looks like the wooden plank is actually smaller than it is in the previous screenshot, and so in the retail version. I personally think it is smaller but this could be an impression due to the FOV and the camera angle (same goes for the sky that seems to be totally white, it could be a simple matter of luminosity or something else). If I had to theorize, I would say that the wooden plank was made taller once the windows at the top of the dam were added in order to give the player a cover from the first sniper. sibscreen.jpg|I took a screenshot for comparison If these 2 things are different indeed, then the build in Rob Steptoe's screenshots is prior to the TimeSplitters 2 announcement date. Category:Blog posts